Scud Busters (showcase)

NOTE: This article is about the singleplayer showcase version of Scud Busters. For its cooperative multiplayer-only iteration, see Scud Busters (multiplayer, Desert).

«

Command your SAS sniper team and disrupt the enemy missile launch. Mission Description

»

Scud Busters
Time	10:20 PM
Date	03-06-2012
Location	Central Takistan, Takistan

Scud Busters is a playable showcase mission in ArmA 2. It was added with the release of the British Armed Forces DLC.

Overview

The player controls an unnamed British Special Air Service Lieutenant, callsign Golf-3. The regime of Colonel Aziz has collapsed at the hands of coalition forces but remnants of his diehard loyalists have refused to capitulate.

In a last ditch attempt to inflict severe damage upon allied troops, a renegade commander intends to fire ballistic missiles directly into the heart of Karzeghi lands. Golf-3 must intercept and disable the battery before its missiles can be launched.

Role/class:

• Specops / Sniper (AS50 TWS)

Default loadout:

• Primary weapon: AS50 (8× magazines)
  • HTWS
• Secondary weapon: M1911 (4× magazines)
  • No attachments fitted
• Equipment: Rangefinder, NV Goggles, L109A2 Frag (3×), Smoke Grenade (White) (1×)
• Backpack: None

There are no alternate pieces of equipment to choose from.

Objectives

Primary

• (1) Destroy Scud launcher
• (2) Exfiltrate

Optional

• (3) Eliminate OPFOR

Mandatory

• The sniper must survive
• The Takistanis cannot be allowed to launch the SCUD missile
• Avoid collateral damage/friendly fire
• Do not leave the AO unless ordered to do so

Walkthrough

Primary 1: Destroy Scud launcher

The SCUD launcher will start off at a fixed location to the east of the AO. It will then drive towards one of three grid coordinates (randomised per playthrough):

• 015-009 (due east of your insertion point)
• 017-019 (north-east)
• 010-018 (slightly off to the north-north-east)

You have exactly two minutes (120 seconds) to prevent the Takistanis from launching the ballistic missile. Note that it is not necessary to kill the guards protecting the erector platform; you only have to land a few rounds into the vehicle's tyres to burst them. Once the launch has been stopped, you can finish off any defenders still left standing or escape.

LEGEND
Red: Enemy spawn points
Pink: Stationary helicopter
Blue: Starting location (you)
Orange: Potential launch sites
Teal: Initial patrol locations
Violet: Patrol routes
Black: SCUD TEL starting position

When moving to engage the battery, you will need to be on the lookout for an armed car (51% chance of spawning) and two-man sentry patrols on the outskirts of the oil rig (between 41%-82% chance of spawning). The majority of enemy soldiers will be standing in the middle of the map so steer clear of their location if possible.

Be aware that if any of the Takistanis are alerted to your fireteam's presence, a light helicopter will take off from the oil rig and start patrolling the area. You can disable the helicopter early by killing the pilot or shooting out its engine/rotors, but it's better to simply avoid being spotted altogether.

Primary 2: Exfiltrate

You can finish off the remaining Takistanis (see Optional objective below) or retreat to Point Echo at grid 010-004. Disengage and sprint all the way but watch out for any stray patrols.

The showcase will end once you get within proximity of the extraction point.

Optional 3: Eliminate OPFOR

Get rid of the battery's crew and its protectors. There are twenty two men in total whom you need to snipe - up to and including the crews of the armed car and helicopter. The majority will be standing near the oil rig and next to the parked trucks.

Your AMR is more than capable of one-shotting every single soldier and you have plenty of magazines to spare so don't be conservative with your ammunition supplies. You can also order the rest of your fireteam to Open Fire if necessary to speed things up as they also carry AMRs (aside from the lone spotter).

Try to avoid getting within less than one kilometre of the battery as this will place you within range of their small arms.

Tips

• Unlike the cooperative version of this showcase, you do not have the luxury of human allies to fallback on so prioritise keeping your operative alive.
• Take full advantage of the poor lighting conditions and your night vision goggles. The Takistanis will be mostly fighting in the blind here due to their lack of night optics so you can outright bypass most threats provided that you steer clear of the oil rig.
• If you choose to engage the defenders, focus down the vehicle first as their 12.7 mm heavy machine guns are more than capable of striking your position even at their spawn points.

Trivia

• It is one of the few playable missions which take place within the Desert terrain added with Operation Arrowhead expansion.
• In stark contrast to the majority of playable scenarios/showcases in ArmA 2, Scud Busters is one of the few scenarios that canonically takes place within the main Armaverse Timeline. Its events occur less than one day after the conclusion of Eye of the Hurricane (the final mission of Operation Arrowhead).
• You will get an alternate ending if you did not succeed in eliminating all of the enemy troops.

See also

Playable showcases in ArmA 2
Infantry	Concrete Oasis • Counterattack • Eye for an Eye • Freedom Fighters • Grand Theft Info • Hike in the Hills • Infiltration • Jackal • Laser Show • Morning Dew • One Shot One Kill • Reaction • Scud Busters • Seek and Destroy • Tank Hunters • Trial By Fire • Village Sweep • War Welcome
Ground vehicles	Bear Rising • Steel Panthers • Thorn Tree
Aircraft	Death From Above • Littlebird • Merlin • Payback • Provision • Wildcat
NOTE: Showcases which do not involve combat are deliberately excluded. Operation Arrowhead | British Armed Forces | Private Military Company | Army of the Czech Republic